//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Nightmares New Reign // by Wolflover221 //------------------------------// Luna sat up in bed recalling the conversation she'd had with Celestia. "She's the biggest pervert I've ever met..." She muttered before getting out of bed. Luna stopped at the top of the stairs, watching Twilight for a few moments, then sighed happily before heading down the stairs. "Hey Twilight!" Luna called "Good morning Luna." Twilight called back as Luna walked down the stairs towards the lavender mare. "So how're you this morning?" Luna said with a little hitch of a yawn in her voice. "Better than usual." Twilight replied smiling slightly. "Good to hear... listen I need to go and see some people... I probably won't be back today." Luna said heading towards the door. Twilight nodded and turned away from the Princess "Thats fine, Luna." She didn't realise she'd let disappointment slip into her voice, she'd been planning on preparing a lovely meal for Luna and finally confessing her feelings to her... but it looks like that'll have to wait. As confused as she was about that little comment, Luna couldn't see anything else forthcoming from the unicorn, so without pushing it, she left. Twilight slumped with her eyes closed, she was glad Luna hadn't noticed more cuts had appeared. Things were better, it's true, but they'd come back, like she knew they would. They haunted her now, in the corners of her sight, just... waiting for her to let her guard down, waiting to catch her alone. And every time she was she'd feel the bite of jaws on her legs or rump or stomach and have to be quick with a cut and a smear of blood to deter the onslaught she knew would follow. The bandages were helping, she'd kept them on after she'd left the hospital, some of the cuts had needed stitches and she'd be going back to have those out in a while. Until then it was easy to fend off the biting creatures that plagued her, clean up quickly and re-tie her bandages over the new wounds. At the same time, though, she was disappointed. She really had been planning on a meal with the princess, something romantic, something... at least to bring them a little closer together. That way, when she confessed, it wouldn't seem so... out of nowhere. All she could do was sigh again. She went upstairs to her private study to sit down in her favourite reading chair and just read. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Luna walked around ponyville looking for Lyra and Bon-Bon if there was anyone in the world she could talk to it would be those two, it took a little while, up and down a few of the main and back streets, before finding them sitting outside a restaurant. Both of them waved at her as she walked over. "So how was your kiss?" Lyra asked with a smug look on her face. "I was still asleep, you cannot blame me for what happened." Luna replied primly. "Oh, we know you both enjoyed it." Bon-Bon cut in, a sly twist to her smile. "Well... thats kind of why I'm here." Luna said uncertainly, "I uhm... well how do I... confess to her that I... might... love her..." The two ponies stared at her after that halting revalation, as expected as it had been, the delivery was so shy and demure they couldn't reconcile it with the booming-voiced-glowing-eyed princess that had threatened to end Nightmare Night forever. "Just tell her?" Lyra offered, as if answering somepony asking what colour the sky was. "I-" Luna hesitated, Lyra was often very direct, and that was a bit of a double-edged sword, "I don't know if I can... I've never been in love before..." Luna admitted. "Well you could always write a letter... and put it somewhere she would find." Bon-Bon mused, a gentle smile playing on her face as she looked to her unicorn, "It's what Lyra did for me." "I see." Teal eyes narrowed and perfect brows knit in thought, "I might just do that." Luna said, a little vaguely, before turning away. "Wait, Luna? Where are you going?" Lyra stood up in surprise. "To see a certain someone." Luna replied, not looking back, but her head moved as if she almost had. "Ten bits says she goes and tells Twilight right now." Lyra shot to Bon-Bon. "Ten bits and I get to be on top says she writes a love letter." The candy-maned earth pony hit right back. "Oh you're so on! But if we're raising the stakes, then if I win you've got to suck my horn." Lyra delivered her ultimatum. "Deal!" Bon-Bon took the bet with a fierce grin as they both shook hooves. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Twilight sat in her private study, she always came up here when she felt sad... being here would cheer her up tremendously. It had to. She read the top line of the paragraph in front of her again. Wait a minute... why was this here? She should be... no... that paragraph... that one? When had she stopped taking in anything from these pages?! Frustrated and depressed, she sighed and slammed the book she was reading shut, if reading wouldn't cheer her up then what would? Her wandering eyes took in the study, her telescope, useless in the daytime unless there was a blue Jupiter to be seen, her shelves full of knick-knacks she'd gathered from her adventures and her holidays, then noticed the old piano in the corner, funny she'd been here many times and not once noticed it before. It was an upright piano, golden wood, polished and worn from years of hooves. She wondered if she still remembered how to play. She'd learned tas a little filly and enjoyed it, but when she was accepted as princess Celestia's student she'd dropped it. Well theres only one way to find out. She took her place on the conveniently adjusted stool and sat down, slowly tapping some of the keys. As she settled a little more, her wandering hooves started slowly tapping the keys in a more organised fashion. Hmm it doesn't look all that old, no matter how worn it is, I wonder if it's always been here. Her eyes closing as the familiarity with the instrument flooded back to her, just like her magic was an old friend to her now, it was just like it had been the last time she'd played, just as comfortable. She started playing one of her favourite songs. At that moment her horn kicked to life without her having any knowledge and a violin started playing in the background slowly adding to the calming song. Her lips stretched in a soft smile, this song was one she had played repeatedly and her parents had started calling it Twilight's Love, she still had no idea why they called it that, but she loved it nonetheless. (Note: the song played is found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJRcH1776EA) Twilight continued playing, to her it felt like minutes but in reality it was hours, she changed from song to song but always ended up back at Twilight's Love. Eventually, she had to stop playing and stand. She felt a lot better, the music had soothed her, and it felt good to play again after so long. Twilight turned around nearly jumped out of her skin, probably would have had she not been so relaxed; Spike, Fluttershy and Rarity all stood there with their mouths agape. "What?" Twilight asked, self-consciousness hitting her like a bag of sand. "I didn't know you played, Twilight." Rarity had a hitch in her voice, "It was beautiful." "I think so too." Fluttershy's eyes were a little dreamy, still listening to it in her head, "Mhmm! I agree! You should play more often, Twilight." Spike enthused. "Really, it was nothing... I'm not that good." Twilight replied, meekly rubbing one foreleg with the other hoof, "Not that good? Twilight my dear, you performed better than Celestia's royal musicians." Rarity stated, tossing her mane with an 'I'll not here another word to the contrary' expression. Twilight smiled sheepishly again, before hastily changing the subject, "So why're you here, girls?" "Well Spike here was slightly worried because he hadn't seen you since Luna left and he was worried something might be wrong with you." Twilight raised her head with a mix of emotions, on one hoof they'd been worried for her, on the other she was guilty that they knew she actually needed to be worried about, and on the back hoof was frustrated that they didn't think she was capable of looking after herself. Of course, after recent events, she couldn't blame them for any of it. "Im fine, really." She gave them a warm smile of encouragement, "I just came here to relax is all, I always come up here when I need to." But standing around up here wasn't going to help anything, so she walked past Spike and her friends and headed downstairs, with them following politely. "So, was there something you wanted to talk about?" Twilight asked two friends when they reached the ground floor. "Well, Luna said she wanted to meet you in an hour's time." Rarity promptly informed her. Immediately Twilight's brain put her body into auto-pilot, moving her around the room, checking on things she knew weren't important, but had to give her mind some time to process. Meet her? "Meet me where?" Twilight asked nonchalantly "Uhm well she wanted to meet you in the centre of Ponyville, if that's... okay?" Fluttershy provided, not meeting her eyes, although that was just Fluttershy being Fluttershy. "Ok." Twilight replied brightly inspecting the shelves, as if preoccupied, but her thoughts were racing. Today had looked so... so... empty, a day where Luna was off meeting somepony else, and wouldn't be back until who knew when, while she was left all alone in the library to stare at the walls until she went insane. What could the princess want? Especially after the scares and craziness of the last few weeks. Her scars were forgotten, the pain in her ankles negligible, and the bandages covering both just didn't matter anymore. Rarity and Fluttershy exchanged a look while Twilight wasn't paying attention, both headed towards the door "We'll see you later, Twilight." Fluttershy said before closing the door. Twilight barely noticed they were gone. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In precisely an hour's time, Twilight walked into Ponyville's town centre, sure enough the princess was waiting for her there, looking a little nervous, but brightening up immediately upon seeing the student. "Hey Luna!" Twilight said, happily trotting to meet her. "Hello Twilight." Luna greeted her, the hint of nerves making her more formal than earlier. "You wanted to see me?" The unicorn's bright and breezy attitude was a complete contrast to the princess'. "Well I was wondering if you'd join me for a walk through the park." Luna replied looking sheepish, "It's a lovely day, after all." "I'd love to." Twilight's happy smile broadened, although truthfully if Luna had offered skydiving Twilight would've still said yes, this was a huge improvement on sitting in the library all day without her. She just wanted to spend as much time with Luna as possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Twilight and Luna sat in the park looking at the fading sun. They had taken a stroll, grabbed something to eat, and had gone to a clearing to watch the sun set. It would almost be considered a date if I could just stallion up and say it. Luna thought to herself. Twilight closed her eyes and smiled softly leaning back and relaxing. Luna looked at her, and her only thought was 'She's perfect.' And right then anypony in the princess' position would be hard pressed to say different. The fading glow of the sun lit the unicorn's face, her eyes were closed and her long lashes made dark crescents on her cheeks. Those lips, which she knew were soft and full to the touch, gentle, were parted ever so slightly because of her relaxed jaw, she was obviously thinking about something. And every inch of her was elegant, and vibrant and immediate. She wanted to run her eyes over those features, those curves and hollows, that softness, that innocence forever. Even the bandages, as glaringly out of place as they were, couldn't detract from this afternoon's light casting her into perfection. The white cloth around all four ankles making her look like she was wearing little socks, an adorable addition, maybe she should buy some for a present... And then there was the way they contrasted so vividly with the shape of her legs, recalling to her a fashion from before she'd ever grown jealous of the day, for deep ruffles and lace, a time when the ankles were deemed to incite males and should be covered, a time when the most daring thing a mare could do for her stallion was to let him, slowly, draw off one of her anklets... Her mind came crashing back to Equestria as Twilight sighed in pleasure, stretching her forelegs out and pushing herself back onto her rump to fully appreciate the sunlight's warmth on her coat. She was perfect, and nothing Luna could think of could prevent what happened next. "Twilight...?" Those deep, dusky eyes opened Luna leaned in and kissed her softly. Twilight's eyes widened slightly in surprise, then closed, blissfully as she wrapped her hooves around Luna and pulled her close. It felt like a eternity but in reality was only a few moments. A moment in time that had no definition. Soft lips moved on soft lips, a magical, electric sensation, and yet calming, melting, fluid and so, so natural. She gave herself to Twilight, every scrap of love she could feel just welling up and flowing like a deep, broad river in full flow, through every point that their coats touched into her little mare. Her mare. Her Twilight. And the most magical feeling of all was when it all came back to her, flowing back like a wave to fill her heart to bursting as Twilight's kiss sent all of those feelings back with interest. When they eventually broke the kiss, it wasn't anything so coarse as a 'breaking'. It was just the natural end to a moment that would define Luna's life from this moment on, neither of them had made any movement to say that it was, but for now... for now... Twilight blushed heavily, then met Luna's eyes, "S-so that's how you feel?" Luna gazed at Twilight, so in love it throbbed inside her chest, before replying "Y-yes." "Well, I'm glad you got it out in the open, because I sure wouldn't have been able to." Twilight's innocent observation caught her off guard, making her laugh. Both mares giggled and they shared another kiss as the sun finally set. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Twilight opened her eyes, she still felt tired but she knew she had to get up. She looked around at her surroundings. Must've fallen asleep in the clearing she thought to herself. Twilight looked down at the sleeping form of Luna, a smile flickering as thoughts whirled around and settled on how cute she looked, which nearly made her laugh. The mighty Princess Luna, one who raises the Moon, not beautiful, not wondrous, but only cute? Before she could make herself giggle, she nudged Luna to try and awaken the sleeping princess. Luna's eyelids fluttered, before she opened them fully and she focused on Twilight, giving a small yawn. "Good morning Twilight." "Good morning Luna... I think we should head home, don't you?" Twilight replied. "Good idea." Luna said. Home... She'd been living in Twilight's library for quite some time now. How funny that she hadn't really thought of it as 'home' before now. But when she stood up, she realised that it wasn't the place she lived right now that was home, it was something else. It was Twilight. Twilight made the library Home. And so, she was going to go home with her. And while you're there you can tell her about Lunacy. And I mean it. The all to familiar voice of Celestia chimed in. Don't worry... I plan to. Luna's mental voice was far steadier than Celestia had heard it in a very long time. Good luck! And don't miss out any of the really juicy bits. Luna just sighed and continued walking with Twilight. Talking with Tia would only make her nervous about this, or angry, and she didn't have to be either around Twilight, not any more. Once they were both inside and had both settled down, Luna spoke up. "Twilight do you still wish to know about Lunacy?" Twilight simply nodded, although her eyes held more questions than Luna felt she could answer. "Well make yourself comfortable, because this tale is a long one... I just hope you won't think less of me after everything I tell you."